Explained: Why Manchester United's goal against Ipswich stood despite Maguire handball
Find out why VAR allowed Manchester United's second goal against Ipswich Town to stand despite an accidental handball by Harry Maguire in the build-up.
In a dominant 5-2 win for Manchester United over Ipswich Town at Old Trafford, a controversial refereeing decision became a major talking point. During the build-up to the team's second goal, Harry Maguire appeared to handle the ball before firing a shot that deflected off Jacob Greaves into the net.
Despite immediate protests, the goal was upheld after a VAR check. The Premier League match centre quickly clarified the decision, explaining that because Maguire was not the immediate goalscorer and the handball was judged to be accidental, it remained within the current framework of the laws.
The referee’s call of goal for Manchester United was checked and confirmed by VAR - with it deemed that Maguire was not the immediate goalscorer after an accidental handball. It’s an own goal and the accidental handball is not punishable, so we recommend you award the goal. Premier League Match Centre
According to the laws of the game, a player commits an offence if they score directly from their hand or arm, or immediately after it touches their hand or arm. However, the rules provide specific exceptions when the goal is not immediate or results in an own goal, which applied in this specific instance. The incident has already sparked calls for a potential review of the rule's phrasing.
For Manchester United, the victory serves as a strong start to their 2026/27 campaign, featuring a hat-trick from Bruno Fernandes. The club now shifts its focus toward upcoming Champions League fixtures, carrying significant attacking momentum.